1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an attachment for western saddles, particularly to a stirrup attachment device designed for use by small children and youths.
2. Statement of the Problem
The enjoyment of horseback riding by small children and youths has always been hindered by the lack of low-cost alternatives to standard-sized saddles. A small child cannot properly fit on a standard-sized saddle and use the stirrups. The stirrups on such a saddle cannot be adequately adjusted for small children or youths.
There are available youth saddles, that is scaled-down versions of standard-sized saddles, but these are relatively expensive and quickly outgrown. The cost of constantly replacing these saddles as the child grows can be prohibitive. Further, there is very little available in saddles for the very young rider.
There presently exists several variations of accessories to standard-sized saddles that will enable a young rider to use the standard-size saddle. These include "piggyback" saddles which are merely smaller saddles that mount onto the standard-sized saddle instead of the horse itself. One example is shown by U.S. Pat. No. 3,112,592 issued to Schindler, which discloses a scaled-down "piggyback" saddle sized for a youth. This "piggyback" saddle is mounted onto a standard-sized saddle by straps on the front and rear of the smaller saddle attaching to the pommel and cantle of the larger saddle. The stirrups of the smaller saddle lie over the fender of the larger saddle. This approach has many of the same problems of the youth saddles, that is being expensive, with many of the features of a standard-sized saddle and quickly outgrown.
Another example of "piggyback" saddles is shown by U.S. Pat. No. 3,916,604 issued to Phipps, which discloses an equestrian training saddle for teaching a small child horsemanship. This approach utilizes a small training saddle which mounts directly on top of the pommel of a standard-sized saddle. The mounting is, however, unstable and places the rider in an unnatural position. The use of this saddle requires a second rider to accompany the young rider and is not designed for use by a single young rider.
Another arrangement using a "piggyback" saddle is taught by U.S. Pat. No. 4,362,003 issued to Robinson. This arrangement uses a small saddle strapped behind the cantle of a standard-sized saddle. This arrangement places the young rider in an abnormal position on the horse and has the problems of the other "piggyback" saddles.
The use of the different types of "piggyback" type youth saddles have similar problems. All are relatively expensive in that the saddles are quickly outgrown and the saddles are inherently unstable since they do not mount directly onto the horse but onto a standard-sized saddle.
A different approach is taught by U.S. Pat. No. 4,164,834 issued to Christensen. This patent discloses an auxiliary stirrup attachment which mounts onto a standard-sized saddle. The attachment comprises a main strap having stirrups mounted on either end and a small, forward-extending strap attached to its center. The small strap attaches over and under the pommel of the standard-sized saddle so that the main strap extends over the saddle body with the stirrups over the fenders on either side of the standard-sized saddle. This approach uses a plurality of straps and buckles requiring multiple adjustments to secure this particular auxiliary youth stirrup attachment on the standard-sized saddle.
Another version of this approach is disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 4,608,812 issued to Willson. This version uses additional straps and buckles to secure the auxiliary stirrups around the pommel and to encircle the cantle of the standard-sized saddle.
Both versions of the auxiliary youth stirrup use multiple straps and buckles which are cumbersome and require constant adjustment to mount onto a standard-sized saddle. These straps and buckles also increase the expense of the devices. There currently exists a need for a simple, low-cost alternative to these approaches to enable a young rider to easily and safely ride horseback.
3. Solution to the Problem
The current invention solves this problem and others by providing a simple, low-cost alternative to the youth saddles, the "piggyback" saddles and the multiple-strap auxiliary youth stirrup attachments.
The current invention provides a youth stirrup attachment which uses a single strap not requiring additional straps or buckles, thus reducing the expense of the device.
The current invention provides a youth stirrup attachment which is easily and quickly mountable onto a standard-sized saddle.
The current invention provides an attachment which is easily adjustable by a young rider.
The current invention can be used on a any sized saddle by a young rider either alone or accompanied by an another rider.
The current invention provides a youth stirrup attachment which can be used on any size of western-style saddle.